


Until My Last Breath

by artifactstorageroom3_archivist



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Angst, Drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-16
Updated: 2011-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-13 04:21:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15356127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artifactstorageroom3_archivist/pseuds/artifactstorageroom3_archivist
Summary: Blair had been the only witness to a horrible crime and Jim has a tough time to keep him safe...





	1. 1. Goodbye My Friends...

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Elaine, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Artifact Storage Room 3](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Artifact_Storage_Room_3) and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2018. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Artifact Storage Room 3’s collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/artifactstorageroom3/profile).
> 
>  **Author's notes:** This is a Gen story, but it may change later on...

  
Author's notes: //Simon has to say Goodbye//  


* * *

Simon Banks, Captain of the Major Crimes Unit in Cascade, stood in the middle of his bullpen and did a deep breath, the anger he had felt, when all of this had happened, had given way to deep sorrow, he still couldn't understand how something like this could have happened in HIS station of all places.

“Captain?” Henry Brown stepped up to him, his brown eyes, normally sparkling with life, now dim.

“Detective,” Banks nodded at him and saw how Henry's eyes were fixed on the white sheet of paper he still held in his hands like a lifeline.

“They're not coming back, sir?”

The question was quiet and pained and tore at the Captain's heart like a knife and suddenly the silence in the bullpen became deafening.

Everyone held his breath, afraid of the answer.

“No,” Banks answered. “No, they won't.”

Then the big man turned around, suddenly not as big as he had been before and disappeared into his office.

To let some silent tears fall...

...for the friends he'd lost.


	2. 2. The Vow

  
Author's notes: //He swears to keep him safe at any costs//  


* * *

James Ellison, called Jim by his friends and family, stood on his balcony and let his eyes wander over his city.

His City.

Jim sighed and let his heightened eyesight take him over to the Cascade River where a few boys were playing at the edge of it, whereas his ears kept turned into the soft 'Thump- Thump- Thump' of his sleeping Guide's heartbeat.

“Sir?” A man from inside called and startled Jim out of his concentration and the man shook his head to clear it and to give his eyes a chance to go back to his normal sight again. “I think we've packed everything.”

Jim moved into the loft and let his eyes take everything in.

Packed cases were stacked at one side of the big living room and left the rest of the apartment bare, except for his couch, which still stood in front of the fireplace.

“Good work,” he praised. “You've got your instructions, right?”

“Yes, sir,” the man confirmed and gave the others a sign to move everything out to their car.

Jim went over to the couch and leaned over its back.

His Guide was sleeping on it.

Bruises marred the sleeping man's too pale face and a cast engulfed his left arm, and even in his sleep his breath was hitching with pain.

“No more, Chief,” Jim vowed. “I won't let him get near you ever again.”


	3. 3. Choices...

  
Author's notes: //They are on their way to their exil//  


* * *

Blair awoke to a world of pain.

Well, not really a world of pain, because it was more a dull ache now, thanks to the pills Jim had made him swallow before they both left the loft, but it felt like the pain would be back soon.

He looked sleepily out of the window of Jim's SUV and wondered if this, whatever this was, would really be the right decision.

Maybe they should have stayed there instead of running away.

The young man looked over to Jim.

The jaw clenched and the icy blue eyes fixed on the road in front of him.

'Detach with love, baby,' his mother's voice floated through his mind and he sighed. 

'Yeah, mom, detach with love.'

He hissed when a bump in the road jostled his broken arm and was suddenly pinned in his seat by Jim Ellison's eyes, before they softened and Jim started to smile.

“Hey Chief,” Jim greeted. “Finally escaped the land of Nod?”

“Uhm...yeah,” Blair yawned and blushed. “Maybe... for a while.”

Jim laughed, open and warm, and Blair couldn't help but grin at that, even when his face felt like it would split in two any second with all the bruising.

“Maybe we should use the time and stop at a Diner,” Jim suggested, and pointed at a building ahead of the road.

“I could eat,” Blair agreed, and earned himself another smile for it. 

“You, my friend, could eat a mule if I'd let you,” Jim said.

Blair laughed before he gasped with the pain of his cracked ribs, but he refused to let that alter the light mood. “A mule? Jim? Who ate a pound of beef last week and was still hungry after that?”

“That's called a Wonder Burger Meal, Chief,” Jim grinned. “And it was exactly 300 grams of beef.”

“I'm wondering how your veins are looking just about now,” Blair replied, mocking shock.   
“Come on, Darwin,” Jim said. “ It wasn't only beef I ate...” He began to count on his 

fingers. “There was lettuce, tomato, pickles and onions on it, too.” 

“Alright, big guy,” Blair laughed. “I'll surrender for now, but at the diner we'll eat something healthy.”

Jim sighed, “As long as it won't be tofu again...”

~

The Diner was homey. Much to the delight of Blair, who had chosen a booth at the front window and did what he always did when he visited somewhere new.

He watched people.

A middle-aged waitress served the dishes, which were cooked by a huge cook with a bald head and too many pounds around the waist.

Blair suspected that the two must be married because of the banter they kept going, and smiled a little behind his menu.

Then he let his eyes wander over to Jim and realized that the man was watching him.

“What?” Blair asked and saw how Jim shook his head.

“Nothing,” Jim replied and grabbed the menu in front of himself.

“Sure?” Blair asked.

Jim nodded and pretended to read the menu.

Blair sighed and kept silent for all but two minutes, before he laid his menu down and asked, “ Are you sure it's the right thing to do, Jim?”

Jim raised his eyes and watched Blair for a moment, before he replied with a simple, “Yes.”

“And you're sure that this will work?”

“I hope so, Chief.”

“What about your Dad? I mean you two just started to get to know each other again and God knows how long we'll have to stay away, won't-”

“No,” Jim sighed loudly. “Look, Chief, I wouldn't do it, if there would be another way, but you heard the DA.”

Blair nodded at that, “Well, yes, but-”

“No buts,” Jim's voice became firm. “What do you think will happen if he realize that you're still in Cascade?” Jim asked.

“I could have-” Blair broke off and played nervously with the tablecloth before a big hand stopped him. “Could have done what he'd wanted.” 

“Do you really think that would have worked?” Jim asked softly. “Hell, Chief. He's the head of one of the biggest gangs in town, he could wave a few bills in the air and every little thief in town would try to take you out... and don't forget my brothers in blue-” Jim pulled a face at that, “- you heard how many policemen the DA suspects are on his payroll. Do you really think someone like him would have let you go away with a slap on your hands?”

 Jim watched Blair for a moment before he added softly, “ He already tried to kill you twice, Chief.”

“I know, Jim,” Blair answered and saw up into Jim's face. “We will stick to the plan, right?”

Jim nodded and patted Blair's hand once, before he waved to the waitress. He grinned when he placed his order of Bacon and Eggs, but Blair could see a shadow in the older man's eyes. 

Blair took a deep breath and winced.

“I think it's time for your next dose, Chief,” Jim said and rattled a white bottle.

Blair pulled a face. "I hate them," he said, but held his hand out."

He dutifully swallowed the pills, “How long until we are reaching the house?” 

“Maybe two hours,” Jim answered. “We should be on the road again, soon. Feels like there's a storm coming."


	4. The House...

  
Author's notes: //They've reached their exil//  


* * *

True to Jim's word, they reached the house a little over two hours later.

  
Blair, who had been asleep for most of the drive, startled awake when the SUV stopped in front of the small building and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, only to gasp in surprise, when a bright lightning illuminated the afternoon sky.

“Come on, Chief,” Jim opened the door on Blair's side and held his hand out to him. 

“Let's get you inside, before the storm's here.”

Already the rain had begun to fall in big heavy drops and Jim winced a few times when they connected with his skin.

“Oh man, Jim,” Blair said when he saw the reaction. “Where are your dials?” 

“We have no time for that now,” Jim urged, but Blair refused to move. “You know?” Jim asked,"you're like one of those little dogs Mrs. Billing has?"

“You comparing me to a Yorkshire Terrier?” Blair asked and glared at the older man.

“You know the one she calls Puppy?” Jim asked with a smirk on his face.

“Puppy?” Blair's voice sounded miffed.

“Yeah,” Jim confirmed and helped Blair out of the car and made sure that the hurting man stood firm, before he turned to the car again to pull some bags out. “He's all sweet and little,” Jim closed the door of the car, then grabbed Blair's arm. “With lots of hair, which reminds me of you, by the way, on a bad hair day-”

“Hey,” Blair protested.

“- but if this little,” Jim said the next word with a sneer, “-dog-” 

Blair snickered with that, because he knew that Jim only considered dogs to be dogs when they reached his knee or higher.

"-doesn't like you he'll get all feisty and show his teeth and he'll dig his claws into the ground and won't move at all.”

“Oookay,” Blair smiled a tight little smile. “So I'm a Yorkshire Terrier-”

Everything else that Blair wanted to say was cut off by a loud thunder, which brought him back to Jim and the dials.

Jim jumped in surprise of the sudden noise and clutched his ears in pain.

“Jim, man, turn it down, before your eardrums burst,” Blair placed a and in the middle of Jim's chest to provide him with a lifeline the big man could feel. He was aware that 

Jim was using his heartbeat to anchor himself most of the time, but touch worked almost as good. “Come on,” he coaxed and did a sigh of relief when Jim nodded andthe lines of pain on his face began to disappear again. “That's it, big guy.”

The house was small, but nice, both men had used it a few times before on their vacations.

It stood in the middle of a forest, a large boulder stood at the left side of it, covering almost half the building.

Blair had chosen this boulder as his place to keep watch on his friend, when he was not in the mood for fishing himself, its surface always felt warm, even when no sun was shining on it and it was covered with a multitude of colors, some of them glittering in the sunlight, and Blair's hand began to twitch with desire to let it run over the lines like he had always done before.

Jim opened the door and stepped in, already aware of the single heartbeat coming from the direction of the kitchen.


	5. 5. The Bad Guy...

  
Author's notes: //A truely devil man...//   


* * *

Francesco Castellazzi looked up from what he was doing and glared at the man in front of his desk.

  
“So,” he said, “you're saying that Ellison resigned and hightailed out of this city?”

The man in front of him nodded.

“And he took Sandburg with him?”

The man nodded again.

“But you don't know where they are now?” Castellazzi rose from his chair.

The man flinched and swallowed, before he answered,” That's....that's right, sir.”

“And?” Castellazzi asked and moved right in front of the man.

“And?” The man repeated with confusion clearly written on his face.

“And what will you do to find them?”

“Sir, I...”

The man couldn't say anything more, because Castallazzi suddenly backhanded him across his face.

“I don't have much patience, Mike, especially with people on my payroll,” Castellazzi growled. “I want them found before the court trial and want for you to make sure that neither of them can give their testimony. And I want for you to make sure that any evidence of what happened with this bitch disappears.”

“I understand, sir,” Mike fingered his busted lip and licked away the blood which was slowly seeping from the wound.

“Good,” Castellazzi went over to his wet bar. “You can take the others with you.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Oh,” Castellazzi turned around. “I want proof that you did it, too.”

“How-”

“Take photos...bring me a hand or the head... or any other body part... I don't care,” Castellazzi's eyes began to glint. “Just bring me some sort of evidence that you've killed them.”


	6. 6. Why?

  
Author's notes: //About what Blair wittnessed...//  


* * *

**A few days before:**

_*Maybe he won't-*_

  
“Mister Sandburg,” Professor Smith called from his place in front of the class. “Where are your papers?”

_*Damn!*  
_

“Well...you see...Professor-”

“Easy question, easy answer,” the Professor said with a growl.

“I forgot them, sir,” Blair blushed when the eyes of the older man bored into him.

The older Professor had never really liked him and this would only add fuel to everything else between them.

“You forgot them?” the professor asked in mock disbelieve. 

“Yes, sir, but if you would give me time to-”

“Time to do what?” The professor asked sharply and Blair could hear that some of his co-students began to get nervous in their seats.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and the professor flew around only to stop, faceto face with James Ellison, who stood, Blair's backpack in his hand directly in front of him.

“Problem?” Jim asked coldly.

“Who are you?” Professor Smith asked, irritated about the sudden appearance of this man.

“My name is Detective James Ellison,” Jim showed the man his badge. “I found Mister Sandburg's backpack.”

“Oh...you found it?” The professor asked and looked from Ellison to Sandburg and back like someone at a tennis match.

“Oh hey,” Blair jumped up from his chair and took the backpack out of Jim's hand.“Thanks man,” he said and retrieved his papers. “You're like my lifesaver.”

Jim chuckled. _*Only you, Chief..*_

“My pleasure, Mister Sandburg,” Jim replied and turned to go. “I hope I didn't interrupt anything important,” he said to the still confused looking Professor.

“What? Oh...no...nothing important,” Professor Smith let himself fall on his chair and watched how Ellison gave a small wave to Sandburg before he walked out. “If you don't mind, hand me over your papers now, Mister Sandburg...”

**

“Thanks again for your help there, man,” Blair said and bit into his hot dog. 

“No problem, Chief,” Ellison replied with a grin. “Even if I wonder how he could have not known that you and me are working together...and it's your luck that you'd forgottenyour backpack in my SUV and not somewhere in your room.” Jim shuddered theatrically.

“I know where you want to go with this,” said Blair with an roll of his eyes. “But look-”

Everything the younger man wanted to say was forgotten when he saw this beautiful woman walk across the street in front of them.

“Oh wow,” Blair said and now it was Jim's turn to roll his eyes.

“Come on, Casanova. She's really not your type.”

“Not my type,” Blair punched Jim on the arm and grinned. “A man can dream, my friend.”

“Yeah, Sandburg,” Jim nodded and did his own goggling, before the woman disappeared into one of the shops. Dammit, the woman had a nice pair of legs …

Jim looked at his watch and pulled a face, “I've got to go now or Simon will have my ass.”

Blair, who was busy chewing the last bite of his hot dog, gave him a thumbs up and Jim couldn't help, but roll his eyes, again. 

The kid will never grow up.

“Don't forget to stop at the grocery store,” Jim reminded him, before he started to walk away.

“I won't,” Blair called after him.

“And I want whole milk, Sandburg,” Jim said. “And chocolate, not this artificial stuff, but the real thing.”

“Not going to happen,” Blair whispered and flinched when Jim called, “Make sure of itSandburg, or you'll sleep on the roof for the rest of the week.”

“Oh come on, Jim,” Blair called to Jim's retreating back. “All this junk food is not good for you...” 

Jim turned and made a rude sign, but said nothing and Sandburg shook his head. “Very grown up, man.”

Blair finished his work at the University and drove over to the grocery store near the loft, where he bought everything they would need until they could do the shopping at the end of the week. He was just back at his Volvo, juggling the bags in his hands and trying to open the car door, when he saw the woman again. He couldn't help but watch her walking, her swinging hips almost made him drool.

Long brown hair was framing an almost angelic face with big, round eyes, and Blair wished he had his hands free and could go over there and ask her out, but then he saw the men who were following her and cursed.

They clearly had something on their mind.

Blair yanked his car door open and all but threw the bags inside, before he grabbed his cellphone and began to run in the woman's direction.

The three men were following the woman into an alley and Blair tried to speed up some more, his body already complaining about the sudden exercise.

“Ah Maria,” the older of the three said. “There you are, my love.”

“Fr...Francesco?” the woman, Maria, asked with fear in her voice. “Wh...What can I do for you?”

The men had her cornered between some garbage cans, and Blair, who had stopped at the end of the alley, watched how this man, Francesco made a sign to one of the men beside him, who handed something over to him.

“You can tell me where you have the book,” Francesco said and moved nearer to the woman who flinched, but didn't try to move away.

Blair opened his cellphone and jumped in shock when it started to beep loudly.

Empty battery...

Of course, the noise didn't go unnoticed and Francesco nodded once in Blair's direction before he turned his attention back to the woman.   
  
The two other men ran in his direction and Blair turned to run away, but his foot slipped on something on the pavement and he hit the ground hard, knocking the breath right out of his lungs.

 He tried to stand up again, but a blow to his back knocked him back down again and before he could do anything, he was grabbed by his hair and dragged into the alley, where he was held down to the ground.

Maria whimpered.

Francesco had his hand under her skirt and Blair didn't want to think about what he did to her.

“Tell me,” Francesco growled, but Maria only shook her head sharply. “You want it?” Francesco asked and started to open his fly. “You got it.” 

Blair screamed. 

He couldn't let him do that.

He tried to fight the hands which were holding him down, but a blow to his head dazed him and he watched through tear filled eyes as Francesco raped the woman with brutal force.

Blair didn't feel that the men had started to beat him up, only when they broke his arm did he scream again, before a boot to his head sent him into unconsciousness.


	7. 07. Pain and Revelations...

  
Author's notes:

I'm sooo sorry for taking so long to update this...  
I hope you enjoy reading this Chapter!

Special Thanks goes to Dani for beta'ing this (and pesting me to keep on writing *bg*) ::hugs ya tight, hun!:: 

My story jumps back and forth between the present and the past and I try to keep the confusion it may cause you to a minimum...sorry, but that's just my mind with its own crazy logic... 

 

//Blair awakes at the Hospital and Jim finds out the name of their enemy// 

* * *

Blair awoke with a gasp and it took a moment before the smell of disinfection assaulted his nose and he could hear the noise of a busy ER.

  
“Welcome back, Chief.”

  
_*Jim? Jim! Oh thank god!*_

  
Blair opened his mouth to say something, but just at that moment began his body began to report back that he was hurting and only a soft groan came out of his mouth.

  
“Hey, hey,” Jim said. “Take it easy, Buddy.”

  
“M...M...Maria?”  
Blair tried to say more, but his chest was suddenly tight and his breath came out in short puffs of air and he began to pant.  
“He...he...raped...h...her.” 

  
“I know...shhhh...Come on, Sandburg. Try to relax and take a nice, deep breath for me.”

  
“Can't.”

Blair's lips began to turn blue.

  
“Dammit,” Jim cursed and leaned over Sandburg's bed to call a nurse.  
  
Simon Banks came back into the ER just in time to see his detective and friend was thrown out of Sandburg's treatment room by one pissed off looking nurse, and sighed before he stepped up to the man and laid a restraining hand on Ellison's chest.  
“Stand down, Ellison,” he barked, when Jim tried to step around him. 

  
Jim glared at his boss and Simon flinched inwardly, but then the detective did as he was told and Simon relaxed somewhat.  
“What happened?”

  
“Panic attack,” Jim answered curtly and cocked his head to one side to listen for what was going on in the room.  
  


Simon placed a hand on Jim's arm and held on tightly, he only hoped that the man wouldn't slip into a zone out....Jim relaxed a few minutes later and Simon gave a sigh of relief, before he stepped back.

  
“ I've news about the woman,” Simon said and pulled a note pad from one of his pockets. “ She was an informant for Vice in their case against Francesco Castellazzi-”

  
“Castellazzi? Like the head of the Castellazzi Clan?”

  
“That's the one,” Simon sighed.

  
“Damn.” 

  
Simon continued, “ they said she called an hour before she was murdered, saying she had some evidence against Castellazzi and wanted to be pulled out.” Simon nodded at one of the nurses, Linda, his mind supplied, before he turned back to Ellison. “Two detectives agreed to meet her in a café near Prospect.”

  
“That's why they were there so fast?” Jim asked.

  
“Right,” Simon nodded. “They waited a few minutes and then searched the streets near their meeting point in case something had happened.”

  
“Something did happen,” Jim growled.

  
Simon glared at the man, “ They've found Sandburg first, then the woman. Her name was Maria Nichols, by the way, a high-class prostitute.”

  
Jim nodded shortly. “ Sandburg and I saw her, when we had lunch near the University and I could smell at least three different men on her.”

  
_*Come on, Casanova. She's really not your type.*_ _Jim_ _flashed back at the conversation he had held with his younger friend._

  
Simon snorted, “I think I don't want to know what else you can smell on someone, Jim.”

  
“No, I'm sure you won't, sir,” Jim confirmed, only half joking. “Does Vice have any idea what kind of evidence she had?” 

  
“No, not really. They've found nothing on her body, so my guess would be that she hid it somewhere before the meeting.”


End file.
